Foodie Panda

Sunday, 29 July 2018

Pure coastal flavors. I loved the food. I had great expectations and was not disappointed at all. Absolutely no frill, just real food and flavors. My first pick and drive to be here was pomphret tawa fry. Came out very nice, would have been better if they kept the cut onion garlic little subtle while serving and not all over my dead fish 😝 nevertheless i finished it in no time. Then was the turn for steamed rice with super spicy prawns, again I loved the flavor, strong tamarind,ginger and tinge of coconut. They call it puduvai prawn and it's straight from Pondicherry. I was full by now and I guess I will be here soon again for appam with some stew😬

Yes it was that good. But ambience is dull broken rickety. Just keep your eyes to your plate 😝 they were running full and hence complacent may be. They should definitely consider renovating interiors and decor, because for the prices they charge, I expect a decent living sitting 😕

Taste bud yell: Overjoyed

Pocket shouts: Mildly heavy When I look around: Very very dull and rickety

Been here. A cute little cafe...with some awesome coffee. They have a whole range of desserts to savour. I had burger with mocha. Burger was not out of world. But yes with the vibe of the place and the good hospitality, I really dint mind. This is one place can get you Bangalore cafe fills on a rainy evening😬 they have an open area to lounge as well.

Taste bud yell: We are ok

Pocket shouts: Mildly heavy When I look around: tiny little cozy cafe, with both open and indoor sitting

Waiting time for tummy: Don't mind when you are busy chatting with friends

Friday, 6 July 2018

Happened to be here on a chance Sunday evening. A nicely done small eatery, with a nice spread of everything Indian. Must be wondering if the name Jugaad is just for the sake of it, or there is really some jugaad in the affair. Yes, there is. They serve jugaad combos, very very affordably priced, serving great portions of dal makhni...rice/bread of choice, and a typical spicy curry you choose from the menu. The portion size is so big that one such combo can serve little less than two as well 😝 we went for paneer tikka masala and kadhai chicken. Wont recommend kadhai chicken as high...read wrong order. Paneer was typical though..,but nice. So do order one combo of choice to really hog on jugaad.
I also happened to order Dahi k kebab..,it was nice. And some beverages to go with the whole mean, just complementing the plate, not out of the world.

Taste bud yell: indian food craving just met right
Pocket shouts: super light
When I look around: just eat your food and get going
Waiting time for tummy: not much
My hosts: gentle and caring, genuinely sought feedback

Visited the tiny outlet of Crep-fe in Banni's Square. By the way, all the food joints here are tiny and that let's you get a palate of so many different cuisines at one place. I like the place for the sheer calm against the chaos of all other popular malls and hangout places.

Coming to Crepe-fe, this is definitely premium because of which you may decide to give it a miss. But step in and you will feel the difference. They have managed to put up an up-market set-up, with contemporary decor. Even the tiny place is so well lit up, you don't feel congested. And staff goes all the way to make you feel comfortable and valued, unlike several other waffle and take away joints. At least going by my experience, the staff barely cares, rather they don't have the time to look up and bother. Here you are pleasantly greeted, escorted upstairs and offered mint-lime water.

As you walk up, the walls are decked up with all the offerings in glow boards. I eat the best Waffle in Gurgaon here. Others basically make it a batch process affair. Here you feel the exclusivity. The Waffle is fresh, neither thin or think to extreme, and crisp. Brilliantly done. And they take out time to

fill in all the troughs with Nutella and stand banana slices in each, again instead of scattering all over. I have the picture here, see for yourself. I had got them to deliver these with maple syrup once, and was equally awed by packaging and the freshness ensured. If you think you have had it, enough of waffles, trust me you are not done yet.Won't take this long for rest, they serve bagel, not the tiny ones, but a really big one with many many varieties, I took paneer tikka. Indianised! But planning to pick up a different lighter one next time. They serve a whole range of gelato and sorbet as well. I happened to pick Belgian kitkat, which was smoothness with chunks of crisps. Other items they serve and I could not try were pancakes, crepes. I am super curious to try out the crepes next. You definitely end up paying more. But you will not mind, because you know they have compelled you to leave wanting to come back again.

Taste buds yell: I am just not done yetPocket shouts: Heavy for tiny outletWhen I look around: Posh, neat, Lit-up, LivelyWaiting time for tummy: Not much reallyMy Hosts: You are taken care of with a smile and perfectly guided through the varieties and flavors

Thursday, 6 April 2017

Haven for non-vegetarians. And vegetarians, please buzz off, even if you see the section in the menu.

A simple family dining set-up, minimal decor, but great food. Ensure you are heading with the right company as you are going to have a gala time with food.

They have a lot to offer both Arabic and Mughlai. I was anxious to discover Arabic. We started off with BBQ pepper fry, absolutely bang on! I always want my bbq uniformly roasted post ample marination. And I was not disappointed. The pieces were done right left, right, center. We also ordered skewers, think they were Moroccan chicken. Again dry roast with flavors oozing out. Every thing was served on a bed of Koobus, with a side of hummus. The whole combination was new to me, presentation as well as Koobus with any dry variant you order. Though I was done after these two, Mutton biryani was a big recommendation at this place. I was not very impressed with the flavor of the biryani as a whole, but mutton in there was cooked nice. I was told it was not my biryani time at the place.

The menu is lot more exciting than what I could manage to explore, I may need 2-3 more visits to do justice with fish and prawn sections as well. Planning to put up another post for Zaitoon, if things click and push me enough to share again.

Thursday, 9 March 2017

Guys this tiny cafe in the heart of Madhapur happened to draw my attention, by it’s name. Yeah, it coins with Churros. They were the ones to introduce me to this famous Spanish snack dessert. The concept is similar to doughnut, baked and then coated with sugar and cinnamon on classic ones. Then you go on to create your variants. But these are not those fluffy buns with holes. These are crispy twisted soft stick-like, fresh out of frying pan with side dips. Absolutely loved it with Nutella. Next I am going to try espresso choco sauce. Also comes with Dark choco, white choco, toffee sauce. Must try, I think it’s exclusive in your city.

Churros just drags you in. But there is so much more to discover! This is actually an excellent patisserie. And I cannot talk about whole range as it keeps changing, I manage to find something new every time. Let me talk about the ones I have tried so far. The blueberry cheesecake, you can call it classic, but the berry jam was as real as it could be and I am going to say the same about strawberry because, I have always been a fan of real ingredients which are difficult to find these days. Triple mousse cake was also a delight, neatly crafted layers of Blueberry, Vanilla and chocolate mousse with a consistency that holds up on the deck but simply melts in your mouth. Post a terrible headache sat for Mocha once, it was one of the nicest I have had till now. But for the price, wanted my mug to be deeper. Cold coffee was not bad, but remember this is not what you should step in for. They also serve freshly made gelato and manage to make sandwiches binding between flattened Churros. Frankly, super excited to try them, not sure how many more visits it will take to cover all.

Last but not the least, my favorite, Mexican snack is brilliantly done here. Just had the hard-shell tacos. They had the right crunch and trust me, I was impressed with the authenticity in each layering. One just cannot miss the pine nuts.

Per plating, they do it wherever there is a scope to satiate a fine diner in their small set-up, you can see in the pictures. Otherwise also, the wooden plates completely gel with their decor and any dessert you pick from the rack.

I am going to be here, till it stops surprising me. Really do not mind the tiny space.

Thursday, 2 March 2017

Love Ramen? Just cannot miss this little cozy lounge in SOMA.
Chic, not too loud bar and sitting area just make the place perfect for after work drinks. You can find better spots if it’s just about hanging out. But if it’s Ramen, you have to be here.
So they have their own secret broth. Like you build your own Burrito, here you make your own Ramen. The thing that fancies me most is the well calibarated Spice level - Nono (not spicy), Kilauea (medium spicy), Fuji (Spicy), Krakatoa (Extra Spicy), Lava (Super Spicy), Molten Lava (Extremely Spicy). And dare you undermine this. I am someone who has always enjoyed spice in life, be it with running nose. But with my several visits, I could not climb up beyond Krakatoa.
Yes, you can pick from a ready selection of broth, I liked both bell pepper and garlic chicken. Tick the spice level. Then the show stopper will be the topping. Shrimp tempura and lobster on special request are the must-try ones. And don’t explore your ramen ignoring these, learn from my mistakes. Right when they are crisp and just dipped, ensure you get them down. Don’t know if Japanese allow them to twirl in the pool and get soggy. Them you have all the time in the world with your chopsticks. Think I am done with Ramen Saga.
This place is reasonable and offers all quick snack options and no dearth of cocktails and drink. But for me, it’s Think Lava, Think Lava.

Taste buds yell: Love the heat, keep it comingPocket shouts: EasyWhen I look around: Regular small cozy lounge Waiting time for tummy: Just a little per a dine-in